The most obvious countermeasures against this are means of physically protecting human lives and livelihoods – . shelters or dikes. In some rural areas of the developing world prone to natural disasters, these have contributed to a dramatic reduction of the loss of lives in cases of catastrophes in recent years (Bangladesh is a case in point). Moreover, low-cost initiatives which provide some element of “proofing” against natural disasters can lessen the impact of such events on the poor. In hurricane-prone areas, such initiatives might focus, for example, on environmental conservation and reforestation. In places prone to droughts and floods, actions could include the creation of community.
